Re: Walter de la Mare horror stories
Posted by:
Sawfish (IP Logged)
Date: 6 July, 2021 11:31AM
Knygatin Wrote:
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MUCH SNIPPED...
>
> Written around 1923, and much more insightful than
> the confusion, conceit, and intellectual folly of
> our modern age. I think we have stepped back
> instead of making genuine progress.
I'm going 'way off topic here, but for a very long time (20-30 years?) I've been obsessed with common connotations of specific words. "Progressive" is one such.
"Progressive" carries with it a sort of positive connotation, as if the underlying belief is that the future holds an inexhaustibly bright promise, everlasting.
So to label one's self as "progressive" is to sort of pat one's self on the back, publicly. In some circles--actually, most, nowadays--it's an acceptable form of self-aggrandizement. Tooting one's own horn in good taste, so to speak.
Now consider the following commonly used words:
tolerance
diversity
inclusiveness
Can these be anything but glowingly positive? And can there ever be any circumstance when questioning whether any form of their appropriateness is less than benighted? Could diversity ever be a negative trait?
I mean, supporting footbinding and female circumcision would indeed be inclusive, and increase diversity, right? How about ritual body scarring and polygamy? Consumption of still-living fish in restaurants?
Tolerance and diversity is always good, right? Aids expression of multi-culturalism, another positively charged term.
I wonder if adopting public squat toilets, such as are found in India, can be considered progressive?
:^)
--Sawfish
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"The food at the new restaurant is awful, but at least the portions are large."
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